Anthem+background+research

=//Anthem// background research=

[ Overview ]
In this assignment, you will work in teams to help us gain a deeper understanding of //Anthem// by researching background information connected to the text. You will present this information to your classmates using either a Google Presentation or a Prezi.

Research topics for this assignment, which will be randomly assigned to each team, are as follows:
 * Ayn Rand (3.1, 4.4)
 * Communism (3.6, 4.6)
 * Dystopia (3.4, 4.5)
 * Major events of the 1930s (3.5, 4.3)
 * Objectivism (3.2, 4.2)
 * Soviet Russia (3.3, 4.1)

For the purposes of this assignment, your team members will have the following roles:
 * **Administrator:** Keeps team on task at all times; makes sure directions are followed and requirements are met; facilitates the discussion of research.
 * **Advocate:** Consider's the audience's perspective throughout the project and poses questions they may ask so that the group can address these issues.
 * **Designer:** Ensures the final presentation is visually appealing and professional in appearance.
 * **Editor:** Checks the final presentation for correct conventions and mechanics (i.e. spelling, punctuation, and grammar).

[ Directions ]

 * 1) Assign roles within your team. (All team members will be responsible for contributing to research.) Your goal should be to put each team member in a role that fits his/her area(s) of expertise and allows him/her to be a successful, effective contributor to this project.
 * 2) Receive your randomly drawn research topic.
 * 3) Administrator: Create and share a Google Doc in which all team members will put their research.
 * 4) Begin researching your topic. Consider the reporter's questions -- who, what, where, when, why, and how -- to help guide you in finding key information. Be sure that you consult only reliable sources (e.g. .org or .edu sites; NOT Wikipedia, About.com, Answers.com, Yahoo Answers, or similar sites). Remember to note the URL of any sources you use so that you can create your Works Cited page later.
 * 5) Once all group members are finished with their research, discuss your findings as a team. (The administrator will facilitate this discussion.) Consider what you now know about your topic, as well as what else you may still need to find out. (Advocate: Your advice on the audience's perspective will be especially important here.) Continue the research process if necessary.
 * 6) As a team, create your presentation, being sure to organize your research in a meaningful, effective way. (Possible organizational structures include -- but are not limited to -- chronological, cause/effect, and order of importance.) Use the collaboration features of either Google Drive or Prezi to enable all team members to work on the presentation simultaneously. During this step, the designer should offer advice and guidance on the professional appearance of the presentation, including fonts, themes, and images (but it is not this person's sole responsibility to create the presentation). Be sure to include Works Cited information in your presentation.
 * 7) Practice your presentation before you address the class on Friday. Be sure each team member has a significant, clearly defined role in the presentation. As you practice, keep in mind the public speaking tips we have discussed in class (e.g. during the Poetry Out Loud competition).
 * 8) Present to the class on Friday, December 14.
 * 9) After you present, complete the self/teammate assessment.

[ Requirements ]

 * Your team must research its assigned topic in detail.
 * Your team must assemble and present its research using either a Google Presentation or Prezi.
 * All team members must have an equal role in the final presentation.
 * Each team member must fulfill the duties of his/her assigned role.
 * The final presentation should be well-rehearsed and professional.

[ Due Date and Grading ]
Your team will present to the class on **Friday, December 14.** This assignment is worth 200 points; it will be graded on its level of detail, creativity, and professionalism.